


Be Alright

by andemily



Category: Hamilton-Miranda
Genre: Angie and Pip are best friends, Astraphobia, Atelphobia, Bad Parenting, Bisexual Alexander Hamilton, Bisexual Parents, George Eacker is kind of a dick, Gun Violence, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, John Laurens is a good dad, Multi, Peer Pressure, Philip Hamilton is a mess, Philip Hamilton needs love, Philip needs love, Post-Reynolds Pamphlet, Theodosia is the best, Totally based off of a drawing I saw on tumblr, depictions of violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2019-10-22 15:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17665256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andemily/pseuds/andemily
Summary: Closed bedroom doors, sneaking out, writing poetry on the fire escape, crying over old photographs, stressing over college applications, panic attacks, drowning in responsibilities, babysitting, karaoke in the car with Georges, peer pressure, late night target runs with Frances, rejection, blueberry pancakes, ferry rides, bowls of cereal, fake smiles, converse sneakers, cups of black coffee, betrayal, denial, growing up too quickly, stubbornness, and pride.Philip Hamilton now knows why Peter Pan never wanted to grow up.





	1. Altschmerz

**Author's Note:**

> hello, 
> 
> I just want to clear a few things up before we get started :) 
> 
> Everyone’s ages:  
> \- Philip Hamilton (16)  
> \- Angelica Hamilton (14)  
> \- Alexander Hamilton Jr. (12)  
> \- James Alexander Hamilton (10)  
> \- John Church Hamilton (6)  
> \- William Hamilton (2)  
> \- Alexander Hamilton (40)  
> \- Elizabeth Schuyler (39)  
> \- John Laurens (39)  
> \- Maria Reynolds (36)  
> \- Frances Laurens (16)  
> \- Georges Washington de La Fayette (16)  
> \- William Mulligan (16)  
> \- Susan Reynolds (16)  
> \- George Eacker (17) 
> 
> A few plot points: 
> 
> \- Alexander and Eliza are in the midst of finalizing their divorce  
> \- The Reynolds Pamphlet came out in August: it is currently November 1st  
> \- Eliza is pregnant and she’s due in a few weeks with baby Ellie  
> \- Philip and Eacker basically hate each other  
> \- Philip is kind of a piano genius  
> \- Philip had no idea that Frances and Georges are dating

 

 

 

>  
> 
> “ _I’d like to say I’m okay, but I’m not_

_I try, but I fall_

_Close my mind, turn it off.”_

\- Michael Schulte 

 

Philip Hamilton wasn’t the type of teenager usually seen at parties. He began to make a list of all the things he’d rather be doing than than leaning on the living room wall at William Mulligan’s party. 

William Mulligan, as in Philip’s ex best friend who ran with a different crowd now a days. High school had changed him. It changed all of them. 

They nodded at each other in the hallway now and then, but other than that, all communication between the two teenagers had ceased. 

It’s not like he wanted to be here.

God no.

The only reason he agreed to accompany Frances was to make sure that she didn’t get herself into any trouble or bad situations.

The two of them, they considered themselves to be practically siblings, and Philip, being the oldest, was protective of his siblings. 

They had gone separate ways at the beginning of the party, for Frances had told him that she didn’t want him tagging along with her the entire night. Frances Laurens was the life of every party she was invited to. She didn’t need a dud like Philip ruining her night.

 

 “Hey Hamilton, are you here by yourself?”

 

Philip sighed, before turning to face the familiar teenager delinquent. 

George Eacker is William Mulligan’s new best friend, and the exact opposite of Philip, standing at six feet and two inches, practically towering over the boy. Tattoos covered his arms and chest, and he always carried a box of cigarettes with him. 

 

“I’m not here by myself, I’ve been friends with Will since we were four.” 

Philip didn’t really consider himself to be ‘friends’ with William anymore, however Frances was no where in sight, and if he told the truth and said that he had came with her he’d be called a liar for sure. 

 

“He’s mentioned you once or twice. I think he was talking about your parents’s affair though. Such a shame.” 

Philip clenched his hands into fists at his sides.

He didn’t like being reminded of what happened last summer. The divorce still hadn’t been finalized. 

 

“Hey, someone get Hamilton a drink! He needs one more than anyone.” 

 

“You didn’t need to do that. If I had wanted a drink, I’d have one already. I’m fine on my own.” 

 

“I’m sure you are, Hammy.” 

 

_What the hell was that supposed to mean?_

Philip flinched as Eacker flung his arm around his shoulders. he couldn’t tell if George was drunk, or if this was just him being a prick. 

 

“Don’t worry about it, Hammy.” 

 

Philip wasn’t sure of who Eacker had ordered to get him a drink until Susan Reynolds returned, holding a red solo cup with his name scribbled messily in sharpie on the front. 

Susan Reynolds, as in the daughter of Maria Reynolds, whose name was disgraced by his father after he leaked the details of their affair. Susan and Philip had never been close, but now things were especially awkward since she and her mother were living in his old house. She had enheirted his old room. 

The two of them, they were the opposite of Philip and Frances. Franny was like a sister, as they had been best friends their entire lives. Moving in with Frances and her das was the only good thing that came out of the end of the summer. Philip and Susan were strangers who lived in the same house every other weekend. 

She was flirtatious and the rumor going around school was that she was currently dating William Mulligan. Susan handed him the red solo cup, and Philip noticed that her iconic red lipstick was smudged and that she spelled his name as ‘Phillip’ instead of ‘Philip’. 

 

“Thanks, Susan.” 

 

She nodded at him, before walking off, probably looking for her boyfriend.

Philip and Susan were civil towards each other, and had an unwritten, unspoken code. Don’t mess with me, and I won’t mess with you. 

 

_Lord show me how to say no to this._

 

Philip was not particularly excited about drinking only God knows what from this red solo cup, but if it got Eacker and his buddies to leave him alone, he’d drink it.

It wasn’t like he could refuse the drink now, that would be considered as rude, right? Peer pressure, what a dangerous thing. 

He downed the drinking in one gulp, then handed the empty cup to an astonished George Eacker. It was a tropical concoction, which Philip presumed to be a spiked Hawaiian Punch. 

 

“Didn’t think you had the balls to do that, Hamilton.” 

 

“What can I say, I’m full of surprises.” 

 

Eacker rolled his eyes, stalking away prolly off to go pressure another ‘innocent looking’ junior, his posse following him. As long as they weren’t bothering him or his friends, he didn’t care where Eacker went. 

The living room was filled with underage drinking, teenager dancing without ‘keeping the Holy Spirit’ betweeen them, and people puffing out clouds of smoke from their nostrils and mouths.

He felt foreign here, as if he doesn't  have anything in common with his peers. 

Philip Hamilton wasn’t like the others, but that didn’t make him ‘perfect’, either. 

 

_No one is perfect. Not really._

 

Philip walks towards he kitchen, as he was starting to get claustrophobic, and the music was getting unbareably loud. That’s when he bumped into a familiar girl holding a red solo cup. He sighed inwardly, before taking the cup out of her hand. 

 

“What the hell, Phil? Get your own!” 

 

Frances Laurens, Philip’s honorary sister was slurring her words, and he snapped into his protective older brother state of mind. 

 

“How many cups have you had?” 

 

“Three.” 

 

_At least she was honest._

 

“Philip, make the room stop spinning.”

 

There are many similarities between Philip Hamilton and Frances Laurens.

Philip is only taller than Frances by  two inches,and he liked to rub that in her face a lot. They both have thick bushes of hair, although Philip’s is a lighter brown and Frances’s was is closer to black and less curly. Another difference between their hair is that Frances usually weats hers in a bun or in two Dutch braids, while Philip almost always has his down. They also have the same absurd amount of freckles, which Frances usually covers up with a bit of concealer, out of embarrassment.

They are practically twins. 

 

Philip had his drivers license, however his dad had the car tonight, so he was stuck walking home while giving a drunken Frances a piggy back ride.

The walking distance was fifteen minutes between William’s house and the penthouse, those fifteen minutes felt like an eternity, however. 

Soon enough, Philip was twisting the doorknob of their front door, hoping that no one was in the living room, the room where the front door lead into. 

John, Angie, and Junior sat on the couch together, watching  _Frozen_. 

Frances slid off of Philip’s back and tiptoed into the penthouse while Philip turned around and closed the door quietly, so their presence wouldn’t be made known. The game plan was to sneak Frances into her room and lie, saying that she wasn’t feeling well. Sure, it was lying, but sometimes lying is nessecary to protect people from disappointment. 

The door did NOT close quietly, and his family looked at him and Frances from the couch. Angie bit her lip, so she would laugh and Junior stuck his tongue out at Philip. They knew they were in for a good show, so Junior paused the movie so their full attention would be on the teenagers. 

John stood up from the couch, walking over towards his daughter. 

 

“Philip, why is my daughter drunk?” 

 

“She’s not drunk, she’s just uh... a little tipsy.” 

 

John took a deep breath. He was the good cop. John always made sure to teach a lesson during his lectures, and was a mixture of kind yet stern. He had been a rebellious teenager, he wouldn’t make the same mistakes that his father made. 

 

“Kiddo, I’m not mad. I’m just looking for a bit of honesty.” 

 

“Someone spiked the punch, I didn’t know until someone gave me a cup. I’m sorry, sir.” 

 

John didn’t like being called sir, he didn’t like seeing Philip nervous, either. 

 

“Angie, can you take Frances to her room? I promise we’ll continue watching the movie when you come back.” 

 

Angie nodded, standing up from her spot on the couch. She lead a very dizzy, drunken Frances to their room, giggling every time the girl hiccuped.

 Philip stood there awkwardly, preparing himself to be sent to his room, too. 

 

“You’re very lucky that your dad is at a late conference for work, kiddo. He’ll come home in about an hour, ranting about Burr like he always does.” 

 

When Philip heard the name ‘Burr’, he couldn’t help but think of how pretty Theodosia looked at the party. She wore a white dress with spaghetti straps, which looked stunning against her complexion. Philip really wanted to muster up enough courage to talk to her tonight, but he didn’t. 

Theodosia Burr is the only child of Aaron Burr, Philip's father’s former best friend and college roommate. They had went to law school together, however they had a falling our and were always at each other’s throats now a days. 

 

_A modern day Romeo and Juliet._

Philip hated himself for thinking of that. How cheesy. 

Theodosia was also dating George Eacker, the delinquent from earlier. racket was a professed homophobe, which didn’t exactly ‘sit right’ with Philip. The boys were total opposites which made Philip wonder if he actually had a shot with Theo. She was so beautifully both in appearance and in nature. Why was she wasting her time with someone like Eacker? 

 

“I know that face.” 

 

“I am not making a face.” 

 

“Philip, why are you upset?” 

 

“I’m not.” 

 

John sighed. He had known Philip since he was a little three year old, he had watched this kid grow up. Sure, some things changed, but Philip still always made the same, troubled face when he was upset. 

 

“Mr. Laurens have you ever been in love?” 

 

John’s eyes widened. He and Frances had never had this discussion, and he had the hunch that Philip was going to break down any second. He could just tell. 

 

“Philip, what is this about?” 

 

“I think I’m falling in love and I don’t know how to stop it.” 

 

John grimaced, as Philp said the exact same phrase he said to his father all those years ago. He would not repeat his mistakes. 

Philip kept blinking, trying not to let tears escape from his eyes. His emotions were pouring into him, it was overwhelming, suffocating even. 

_William. Dad. Maria. Mom. Eacker. Susan. Theodosia_

 

His mind kept repeating their names. He wanted it to stop. He needed it to stop. 

Junior had never seen his brother cry before. Philip was the invincible older brother, the pillar of strength for the Hamilton family. His emotions had a domino effect on everyone else, if he fell, everyone fell. He stood there for a second, before rushing off to Angie and Frances’s room. 

John pulled Philip into a hug, and Philip let go. All of the emotion he was carrying around just fell, all of his walls, everything. For this brief moment, Philip Hamilton, the golden boy broke down. 

John hushed the boy, rubbing his back soothingly. Seeing the boy in this state, so worked up because of the world. It was heartbreaking. 

 

“Philip, no matter who you choose to love, your family will accept you.” 

 

“Theo.” 

 

“Theo?” 

 

Philip nodded, stepping back, thus ending the hug. His eyes were red, and his nose was sniveling. 

 

“Oh, Philip.” 

 

“Please don’t tell Pops. He’d be so angry with me if he knew.” 

 

“Your secret is safe with me, kiddo.”

 

Philip rubbed his eyes with his shirt sleeve, a little embarrassed that he had let his emotions get the best of him.

A giant weight was lifted off of his shoulders, and someone finally knew the secret that he had been carrying around for as long as he could remember. 

 

“You’ll figure this out Philip. You’re a smart kid.” 

 

“Thank you, sir.” 

 

“And stop calling me ‘sir’. It makes me feel old.”

  

Phillip laughed at that. He trusted John and knows that his secret was safe with him. John is a good man, and Philip knows that he’d take care of his father, and maybe get the human embodiment of a hurricane to slow down.

 

“Thanks for the talk.” 

 

“No worries, Philip. If you ever need to talk to me about anything like that let me know.” 

 

John looked back at the television. 

 

“Are you up for finishing the movie with us?” 

 

“Sounds great, Mr. Laurens.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Perfectly Imperfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Washington’s host the dinner party of the century.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves, 
> 
> This took much longer than I anticipated it to take. I must’ve rewritten this chapter at least twenty times. I’m quite fond of how it turned out. I hope you enjoy chapter 2!!

 

_“ ‘Cause we were just kids when we fell in love_

_not knowing what it was_

_I will not give you up this time_

_But darling, just kiss me slow_

_ your heart is all I own _

_and in your eyes you’re holding mine.”_

_-_ Ed Sheeran 

 

Alexander Hamilton always reserved Saturdays for Philip.

The tradition usually included going to the same cafe, their conversations ranging from baseball games to Philip’s future plans. The plans of law or medical school, the plans that Philip now dreaded. They haven’t been to that cafe since the beginning of August, though. The Reynolds Pamphlet had soiled their tradition, and the relationship between Philip and his father became strained.

Although he’d never admit it, Philip was beginning to miss the conversations they shared over grilled cheese sandwiches and bowls of tomato soup. The guilt started pouring into him as he recalled how he rejected his father’s invitation, and how he single handedly broke the tradition in one conversation.

  
It was too quiet. Quietness was something Philip had never been accustomed to, so the silence of his room made him feel almost squeamish. He had grown up in a crowded house, and although he loved his family, it was overbearing at times. He supposed his childhood was one of the factors that made him the way that he was, too mature and overbearingly protective. His childhood had certainly been an interesting one.   
  


Not many kids can say that their father published the details of his sex scandal on twitter. Philip tried to steer clear of social media now, having deleted almost all of his social media. If only it was so easy to delete the Reynolds Pamphlet from his life.

A frustrated wail came from the other bathroom, and Philip supposed that it was his duty as a decent human being to check if everything was alright.

There stood Frances Eleanor Laurens, looking like a deer in the headlights.    
  


  
“Philip I’m in deep shit.”    
  


  
Frances had snuck out the night before and Philip had covered for her, making sure that no one noticed that she was gone. Good brothers cover for their sisters, no matter how much trouble they could get in.    
  
His honorary sister had two hickeys on her neck.    
  


“Does your dad know?”    
  
  


Frances rolled her eyes.    
  
  


“Oh definitely.”    
  
  


Frances is always sarcastic when she’s nervous.    
  
  


“I’ll take that as a no.”    
  


Philip knew that they’d both be screwed if John found the love bites on his daughter’s neck. He also knew a few home remedies to make the love bites less noticeable. Trial and error had helped him figure out which methods worked better than others. Philip Hamilton wasn’t as perfect as everyone sought him out to be.

  
  


“What would you do without me, Frances Laurens?”    
  


  
“I’d be in deep shit, Philip Hamilton.”

  
After leaving for a few minutes to get changed, he returned to the bathroom to find Frances aggressively scrubbing her neck with a toothbrush. This is what she decided to do after multiple google searches and an interpretation of Philip’s advice.    
  


“You could always cover it with your hair. I mean, that’s what I did.”    
  


  
Frances looked over at Philip, disbelief written all over her face.    
  
  


“There’s no way, I don’t believe you.”    
  
Philip laughed. He wasn’t a stranger to love bites, in fact he had received some during the summer. Back when he was a mess, trying desperately to plunge himself into a relationship to provide himself with a distraction. Back before he grew up too quickly.    


  
“I should probably go help my siblings in the kitchen, good luck with the hickey situation.” 

  
  
The kitchen was very small, therefore someone was always underfoot if there was more than four people present. Usually, Philip was the one who was underfoot.

The Hamiltons were going to a dinner party that night, and Philip and Angelica were in charge of preparing a desert. The siblings had decided on blueberry pie, something that their mother used to bake all the time when they were little. Angie and Philip were by no means qualified to bake anything, as they had never done so without their mother’s assistance before. Assigning them to make the dessert for  an important dinner party was probably a mistake.

The kitchen was a mess, then again, so are the Hamiltons. 

“Philip, you’re late.” 

  
  
Angelica was covered in flour, and her hair was in a messy bun which was sagging at the back of her head. 

  
  
“I was... taking care of something, don’t worry I can help now.”

The first step of making pie is to make the crust, something Philip had no idea how to do. 

The pair of siblings sought out the help of their younger brother, Junior, who said he had much better things to do, even though they all knew he didn’t. 

Junior was very much like his father, a bit rough around the edges, and a perfectionist whose heart is always in the best place.

 

“I don’t think it should look like that.” 

  
  


Junior flipped off his older brother, then looked back down at the dough.

  
  


“I don’t think you were supposed to add that much flour.” 

This should’ve been a sign for the three of them to stop baking, a bad omen if you will. But they didn’t stop, and the results of their pie were disastrous. 

“We’re screwed.” 

The three of them had said this in unison, proving that great minds think alike. 

  
“I suppose we’ll never be in charge of this again.” 

  
  
Angie was digging through the pantry, in search of something that could qualify as a dessert. 

  
  
“You two should go get changed. Don’t worry I’ll  think of something.” 

  
  
She shooed the boys out of the kitchen, and Philip soon found himself in his bedroom, which he shared with Junior.    
  
Sharing a room with Junior certainly proved to be frustrating at times. The twelve year old is a neat freak, and Philip was the opposite. They love each other, just as all brothers do, but that didn’t mean that they get along all the time. Plus Junior had the sense of style that Philip so clearly lacked.

  
“Are you seriously wearing those socks?”    
  


  
Philip was wearing his favorite pair of socks, which had a grey and yellow argyle design.    
  
  


“What’s wrong with my socks?”    
  


Junior rolled his eyes, before making eye contact with his older brother.    
  


  
“You realize that we’re going to Mr. Washington’s for dinner, right?” 

  
  


“Well, yeah. I knew that.” 

  
  
Mr. Washington invited all of his close employees, which meant that Mr. Burr, his father’s rival and his daughter would be in attendance.    
  
Philip’s eyes widened. He did not want want to look like an idiot in front of Theodosia Burr, or her father for that matter. 

He changed his socks. 

The Hamiltons were notorious for being late to events like this. The six of them quickly walked up to the front steps of the Washington’s house, feeling anxious about their tardiness. 

Philip noticed a box of Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies in Angie’s hand, and guessed that this was her grand plan of improvising a dessert.

  
  


“Funny.” 

  
  


Philip turned over to Frances, who was staring up at the large house in awe. 

  
  


“What?” 

  
  


“Oh, I just figured Mr. Washington lived in a white house. Guess I was wrong.” 

  
  


“I heard it’s supposed to storm later.” 

  
  


“How very.” 

  
  


Junior knocked on the door, and it was immediately opened by Mrs.Washington, who excitedly invited them inside.   

The Washington’s never had kids, though they informally adopted Alexander Hamilton into their family, which made Philip and his siblings their honorary grandchildren. 

Philip preferred their company over the company of his maternal grandparents anyways. They hated them, and even though they had never said this to Philip directly, he knew it was true. 

His self proclaimed pious grandparents had always hated his father, things escalated when they found out that he was conceived and born out of wedlock. They called his parents sinners, and he was named Philip to try to ease the tension. Clearly, it didn’t work. 

The children, who were actually teenagers were told to wait in the parlor as the adults sat in the lounge discussing politics. 

Theodosia Burr sat beside him, looking breathtaking as always, to no one’s surprise. Seen as “the perfect girl” by everyone, and Mr. Burr’s pride and joy. Born with her father’s eyes and carrying on her mother’s legacy by bearing her name. Always following rules, always listening to her father. 

  
  


“Philip can we go for a walk?” 

  
  


Philip blinked, before looking over to the girl he’s been crushing on for as long as he can remember. 

  
  


“Won’t we get on trouble?” 

  
  


This is when Frances Eleanor Laurens butted into the conversation, hastily slinging her arm around Philip. 

  
  


“You worry too much, little brother. Don’t worry, we’ll cover for you.” 

  
  


Frances  _ did  _ owe Philip dozens of favors. Surely cashing one on wouldn’t cause the end of the world. 

So for once, Philip did something for his own benefit, something that made himself happy.

Theodosia and Philip had one major thing in common, neither of them were as perfect as the other sought them out to be. And that was wonderful. She made him happy, and the same could be said for Theodosia. 

  
  


“Did you know our fathers dated in college?”

  
  


Philip  _ didn’t  _ know that. His eyes widened at he looked over at Theodosia with a doubtful expression. 

  
  


“Is that true?” 

  
  


Theodosia nodded, confirming the fact that Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr we’re now exes. 

  
  


“I suppose that’s why they hate each other.” 

  
  


“Either that, or my dad just can’t stand the way your dad gets in the courtroom.” 

  
  


The teenagers laughed. Then it began to thunder and Philip stopped laughing. 

Astraphobia is very common in people of all ages, especially adolescents or children. It was something Philip had suffered from his entire life, something that the Reynolds Pamphlet didn’t change. 

It started to rain, and Philip and Theodosia took shelter in the Washington’s shed, as the house was too far, and the rain was coming down too hard. 

  
  


_ Boom.  _

  
  


Philip felt his entire body shudder at the sound of the thunder. He could only imagine how uncomfortable his father was inside, as he too suffered from astraphobia. 

  
  


_ Boom.  _

  
  


The shed is where Mr. Washington kept all of his fishing rods and construction tools. There was a gas lantern on the desk, but other than that there was no electricity, so the teenagers relied on their phone flashlights. 

  
  


“There should be a box of matches on the desk, we can use them to light that lantern over there.” 

  
  


His voice was shaky, and the thunder was ringing in his ears. This concerned Theodosia Burr. 

Philip knew this shed like the back of his hand, it had served as an honorary playhouse for him and his siblings when they were kids. Back when life was simple.

Theodosia shuffled over to the desk quickly, searching for the box of matches, which were right where Philip had described. 

  
  


“How did you know where the matches would be?” 

  
  


“My siblings and I used to play in here when we were kids. Junior really had a knack for getting us into trouble back then. The kid likes to play with matches, I guess.” 

  
  


_ Boom.  _

  
  


The rain was really coming down, and Philip started to imagine all of the trouble the two of them would get in once they were inside. 

Theodosia lit the lantern, and the two of them sat cross legged. She knew better than to bring up his apparent fear of storms, so she chose to create small talk instead. 

  
  


“Have you ever been to Disney World?” 

  
  


The Hamilton’s trip to Disney World was certainly and interesting one. Philip had been little and Junior ended up getting lost in the Magic Kingdom. He distinctly remembered the way his father lost his shit in the “happiest place on earth”, screaming “where’s my son.”  It took three hours, but they eventually found Junior waiting in line to meet Buzz Lightyear. Whenever he teased her about this, he’d bring up the time Philip got stuck in the washing machine, and the conversation would be over. 

  
  


“Yeah, once when I was ten. Have you?” 

  
  


Theodosia nodded. Her mother loved going, so her father took them for a week of June every year to celebrate her birthday. She hadn’t gone since she lost her mother back in freshman year. 

  
  


“We used to go all the time back when my mom-”

  
  


She didn’t want to finish her sentence, and Philip understood where the conversation was going. 

  
  


“Theodosia-” 

  
  


“Theo.” 

  
  


Philip blinked. 

  
  


“What?” 

  
  


“I go by Theo to most people, my dad being the exception.” 

  
  


“Usually I just stick with Philip, but my siblings call me Phil once in a while.”    
  


 

“Lip.”

“What?” 

  
  


“It’s a nickname. A character on this show I used to watch was named Philip, he went by Lip. That’s what I’ll call you.” 

 

No one had ever called him that before, and he kind of liked the sound of it. 

  
  


“Oh, alright.”

 

There were a few sEcon’s of awkward silence, where the teenagers just listened to the sounds of the storm outside. 

  
  


“I broke things off with Eacker.” 

Philip looked over at Theo in disbelief. He was sure that they’d last up until graduation. 

Maybe he had a shot after all. 

  
  


“I’m so sorry, Theo.” 

  
  


Philip actually  _ did  _ feel bad for her, even though the news was beneficial to him in a way. Heartbreaks hurt, he of all people knew that. 

  
  


“It’s alright, I’ll be fine. He wasn’t exactly my ‘Prince Charming’ anyways.” 

  
  


Philip took a deep breath. 

  
  


“What did you see in him, anyways?” 

  
  


Theo sighed. She got this question a lot, mostly from her father or Susan Reynolds. 

It was no secret that George Eacker was a douche, he was known for peer pressuring underclassmen into doing things they shouldn’t or getting into fights on campus. The only reason Eacker wasn’t expelled was because he was the heart and sole or practically every team the school had. It was mind boggling that Theodosia Burr, the class president and resident perfect girl was seeing the sorry excuse of a senior. 

 

“He made me feel alive, Lip. The feeling he gave me, it was indescribable, really.”

 

_ I would treat you better, I swear to God I would.  _

  
  


“You deserve someone better than him, Theo.”    
  


 

Theo had no idea how poetic Philip Hamilton is.    
  


 

“I, I don’t know-”

 

George Eacker had torn down all of Theodosia’s self esteem. She needed someone to hold her and he wasn’t there. As much as it hurt, she knew that they couldn’t be together. 

“Well, I’m no love expert, but I know that anyone would be lucky to have a girl like you, Theo Burr. You’re genuine and good. That’s hard to come by these days.”

Theodosia went red. 

 

“You certainly have a way with words, Philip Hamilton.” 

At this moment in time, it was just the two of them in the eye of the storm. 

They didn’t have to worry about affairs, or ex boyfriends, or anything. 

It was just Theo and Lip, having a heart to heart, something both of them had desperately needed. 

And she kissed him, and it was perfect. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading loves, I’m so sorry this took so long. Let me know what you think in the comments or if you have any suggestions. Big things are coming, I can’t wait
> 
> \- e


	3. The American Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A kiss, a fight, a lecture, a birthday, and a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves,
> 
> Sorry for the long hiatus, this chapter took me forever to write. That being said, I hope you enjoy, and if you want to, please leave a comment telling me what you liked or what you’d like to see. Hearing what you all think really makes my day.   
> Alright that’s it, here’s chapter three!!

Chapter 3: The American Dream 

  
“ _It’s all a bit of fun until somebody gets hurt_ _  
_

_I’ll take it with a pinch of salt_

_Another lesson learned.” _

_-_  Easy Life 

 

**NOVEMBER 19th**

 

Theodosia Burr Jr. has always been a hopeless romantic, though she’d never admit it.  
  
Philip Hamilton was certainly a perfect catch and she found herself completely infatuated with him. He made her feel important and his poeticness made him practically irresistible to her.  
  
Philip wrote her piles of love letters, notes, and sonnets, things she never would’ve dreamed about receiving from her ex. Theo kept every single one, storing them in a trunk at the bottom of her bed. Along with Philip’s writings, she kept her mother’s several diaries, which she must’ve read over and over one thousand times.  
  
She couldn’t help but smile, thinking of how much her late mother, whom she was named after, would’ve loved her dork of a boyfriend.  


There is a janitor's closet on the first floor near the band room, in a secluded hallway of Liberty Academy.  
  
This janitor’s closet is where Philip and Theodosia spend any small amount of free time they had together.

Philip quickly unbuttoned his shirt, his tie disregarded on the floor of the closet. 

They’d have to be quick, as the period would end in about ten minutes. 

”Lip, your chest-“ 

Theodosia  started to laugh, as her dumbfounded boyfriend looked down at his chest, not sure of why she was laughing. 

 

“What of it?” 

 

”I didn’t expect it to be covered in freckles.” 

 

Philip felt his face burn up in embarrassment at what she said.

Instead of stumbling out an answer like a bumbling idiot, his mouth curled into a smirk. 

 

“Oh Theo, I’ve got freckles everywhere. And when I say everywhere, I mean everywhere-”

 

He paused, pleasantly satisfied when he noticed his girlfriend blushing about what he was implying. 

 

“You wanna see?” 

 

Theodosia smacked her boyfriend for his dirty mindedness. 

 

“God, you’re a fox.” 

 

Philip laughed at that, before looking into her crazy brown eyes. 

 

“May I kiss you?” 

 

Theodosia gave him a small smile before wrapping her arms around his neck. 

 

“You may.” 

 

The pair embraced each other for what felt like a splendid eternity until Philip’s phone started vibrating from his backpack.  


Philip gently put his girlfriend down, knowing that his mother was due to deliver her seventh child any now, and that whoever was calling might be the news that she was going into labor.   


 

“You should answer that.”   
  
  
Philip shuffled over to his bag pulling out his phone so quickly that he almost dropped it. If that had happened around Georges, he would’ve been called butterfingers for sure.  
  
He answered his phone quickly, hoping that is was the news that he had been anticipating for.  


Spoiler Alert, it wasn’t. 

 

“You have some nerve calling me after you’ve been ignoring me since ninth grade.”   


  
  
Theodosia furrowed her eyebrows, clearly concerned about the phone call, her mind trying to piece together who he was talking to. 

 

  
“Oh, uh… Thanks for letting me know.”

 

Little did the star crossed lovers know that this phone call would set everything off.  
  
He hung up before looking over at his girlfriend, his expression not changing.  
  
  
  
“We have to go to the cafeteria. Eacker is spreading shit about my parents.”  
  
  
  
The cafeteria is the breeding grounds for all of the rumors that involved the lives of the students from Liberty Academy. It, like many other cafeterias in the world, is segregated by cliques, which Philip and his friends see as positively primeval.  
  
He’s not exactly popular, but he isn’t  classified as a loser, either. Philip Hamilton could be found in the in between, and quite frankly, he’s  alright with that.   
  
Popularity is extremely overrated.   


Rumors usually fly right over his head, as he doesn’t have time to to immerse himself in the chaos that is the drama that surrounds Liberty Academy.  
  
That was, until he found out about the one George Eacker had concocted about his father.   
  
  
  
“You’re walking too fast, slow down.”   
  
  
  
But Philip didn’t slow down, he kept walking quickly down the secluded hallway, not bothering to listen to Theo.   
  
She ran to catch up with him and pulled his arm back.  


“You can’t just go in there all ready to rumble. Calm down.”   
  
  
  
Theodosia’s  grasp  moved to Philip’s hand, and  was like a safety tether. Despite having only been dating for a few weeks in secret, the two trusted each other completely, and there had never been a more compatible pair.   
  
  
  
“He’s talking shit about my dad…and Angie... and-”  


  
  
She pulled him into a hug quickly, rubbing her hand up and down his back.    
  
  
  
“I know, I know-”    
  
  
  
“I can’t let it slide, Theo. I just can’t. It’s just not in my nature.”    


 

Theodosia sighed, pulling back a little to look at the boy, her boy.  
  
She had never really noticed how beautiful his eyes are, hazel in pigment, with small golden flakes.  
  
  
  
“Listen to me-”  
  
  
  
Philip was too worked up to listen. The gears in his head were turning quickly, already piecing together a lecture that he’d deliver in the cafeteria.   
  
Theodosia rolled her eyes before gently resting her hands on each side of his face, kissing his lips gently.   
  
Philip’s shoulders slunk down, and he quickly closed his eyes.  
  
Theodosia pulled away eventually, much to her boyfriend’s dismay. She was quite satisfied at the blush growing on his face, masked by his constellations of freckles. 

“Better?”    


 

He nodded, before clearing his throat.   
  
  
  
“I need to fix this, darling.”   
  
  
  
“I love when you call me darling, it’s very Freddie Mercury of you.”  
  
  
  
  
“I… Theo it’s my responsibility to fix this. I gotta blow their  expectations away this is just part of how I’ll do that.”  
  
  
  
And she nodded, not fully understanding what he meant. They walked hand in hand down the hallway, and Philip wished that he asked her out back in eighth grade.  
  
The couple reached the door to the cafeteria quickly.  
  


  
“Be smart.”    


“I will, I will.”   
  
  
  
“I’ll take care of your sister, you take care of my ex.”   
  
  
  
Philip rolled his eyes, as he never understood why someone as heavenly as Theodosia Burr associated herself with Eacker. He reminded her of this constantly.   
  
  
  
  
“I’ll never understand how you two were a couple.”   
  
  
  
Theodosia sighed. She did not want to have this conversation with her boyfriend at this very moment.   
  
  
  
“He made me feel important, Lip. You just don’t get it.”   
  
  
  
Philip looked over at her, a soft but serious expression present on his face.   
  
  
  
“I’ll worship you till the day I die, Theodosia Burr.”  
  


Theodosia blushed, swatting his arm playfully. She hated how she could melt into puddy in Philip’s hand if he said the right things. Her boy certainly has a way with words.   
  
He pushed the door of the cafeteria open, ready to defend the legacy his father had been building.   
  
Someone has to make sure the Hamilton family’s dignity is persevered, and as the first born Philip assumed this as his responsibility.   
  
Eacker was standing on a chair, shaming his father, his mother, and Maria Reynolds.   
  
Susan Reynolds was practically shaking, her lip quivering and her mascara was running.

William Mulligan, Philip’s ex best friend, the one who had called his phone just moments ago was calming the girl by rubbing her back gently. 

  
Theodosia continued to hold her boyfriend’s forearm just in case she needed to intervene.    
  
The couple made their way over to Eacker’s table, and the cafeteria fell silent.    
  
Eacker looked down at Philip, then over at Theodosia, whose stomach was tangled in knots because of her anxiousness.    
  
He laughed.    


 

“Since when have you started seeing my sloppy seconds?”   


 

Eacker paused, and Philip felt Theodosia’s grasp on his arm tighten.   


 

“Can’t say I’m surprised, actually. You Hamiltons don’t stay in your own lanes. It’s not nice to touch other people’s property.”  
  
  
  
Theodosia squeezed on Philip’s arm and kept her composure. She was a Burr, and Burrs can stand tall and take backlash without losing their heads, unlike Hamiltons. She’s a big girl, and she can fight her own battles.   
  
  
  
“This isn't about me, George. This is about what you’re spreading about Philip’s parents.” 

 

He laughed again, and Philip had suddenly found the urge to punch him across the face.   
  
  
  
“I’m only telling the truth, love. Alexander Hamilton is a bastard who will step on anyone in his path to get ahead. A man must have boundaries, don’t you agree, Philip?”  
  
  
  
Philip felt his blood behind to boil as he looked directly into Eacker’s mocking black eyes.   
  
  
  
“I won’t let you tarnish our family name, my parents have worked too hard for assholes like you to ruin what we’ve built in this country.”  
  
  
  
Eacker shook his head at Philip, laughing all the while.  
  


  
  
“Didn’t your father already ruin his own reputation in August? I’m just making sure no one forgets what happened. If anything, I’m preserving history by bringing it up. Shouldn’t you be more concerned that your father is remarrying and leaving your mom in the dust.” 

 

 

Philip flinched. 

The news of his father proposing to John Laurens was nothing new, as the proposal took place weeks ago. He wasn’t even there though, as he was becoming well acquainted with Theodosia Burr’s lips during that time.  
  
He was thankful that he wasn’t present for that, as he wasn’t sure how he would’ve reacted to a change as big as the one he missed.  


 

_As long as they’re happy, I’m happy._

Philip hoped that if he kept repeating this phrase in his mind it would eventually be true.   
  
  
“You’re upsetting my sisters, you should stop.”  
  
  
  
“Your father wasn’t satisfied with the life that he was leading, and he found happiness somewhere else. I guess you weren’t enough for him. Part of that’s on you, Phil, but most of its on your mom.”  
  
  
  
  
He balled his hands into fists.  
  
George Eacker knows how to hit where it hurts.  
  
  
  
“You don’t need to slander my mother. That’s low, even for an asshole like you. Leave her out of this.”  
  


 

“Your mother is an oblivious housewife. It’s not my fault she was clueless and didn’t figure it out sooner.”  
  
  
  
Philip froze, then looked over to his girlfriend.  
  
Theodosia  knew that her ex deserved anything her boyfriend could dish out to him. Eacker had gone too far bringing Philip’s mother into the conversation. She realized that the two teenagers were trains heading the opposite way down the same track.

Philip Hamilton and George Eacker are destined to collide.   
  
So Theodosia sighed, and let go of her boyfriend’s arm.   
  
Philip punched George Eacker across the face, watching as the ‘king of the school’ stumbled back, clutching his jaw.   
  


“You’re so dead, Hamilton-”   
  
  
Philip may be noticeably smaller than the older boy, but he sure knows how to put up a good fight.  
  
They fought with each other for what seemed like an eternity before Philip was pulled off of Eacker by the vice principal, Mr. James Madison.   
  
He was then escorted into Mr. Madison’s office, and was seated in a forest green leather armchair with golden buttons on the border of the material. 

Philip felt a nervous pit form in his stomach.  
  
Golden boys aren’t supposed to get in trouble.    


Mr. Madison straightened his glasses before initiating the conversation with the adolescent.  
  
He had been acquaintances with the Hamilton family for an awfully long time, and he knew that Philip wasn’t a kid with a violent nature.  
  
  
  
“So, are you going to tell me what happened?”   
  
  
  
Philip shrugged his shoulders.   
  
  
  
“I’d rather not.”   


  
  
Mr. Madison took a deep breath, before rubbing his eyes with his hand.    
  
  
  
“I know you, Phil. You’re a good kid, good kids don’t just punch other students.”    
  
  
  
“Well they do if the asshole starts spewing shit about their mother.”    
  
  
  
“Language.”    
  
  
  
Philip felt the tips of his ears turn red.    


 

“Sorry.”  
  
  
  
Mr. Madison had gone quiet for a second, thinking of what Philip had said.   
  
  
  
“So it was something he said?”   
  
  
  
Philip nodded, breaking eye contact with the older man.   
  
  
  
“It was about my parents and the… well I’m sure you know what happened over the summer.”   
  
  
  
Mr. Madison did know what happened over the summer, more specifically what was published on the twenty-fifth of August. He had known about the affair weeks before August twenty-fifth because of his husband’s eagerness to exploit his business competitor.

James remembered that fateful day that he, his husband, and Aaron Burr cornered Philip’s father in his home office, thinking that he was embezzling company funds. They had fully expected a confession, just not one exploiting the details of an adulterous holiday. 

He was shocked, as he thought that Eliza and Alexander’s marriage was bulletproof.    
  
  
  
“You’ve never come to guidance or anyone about that, is that something you’d like to look into?”    
  


 

Philip shook his head.   
  
The very thought of talking to someone about the fact that his family, his life,  was falling apart and there was nothing he could do to stop it made him feel squeamish. 

 

  
“My mom sends all of us to therapy outside of school, it’s fine.”    


 

_Liar._

 

Mr. Madison sighed before looking at the teenager again, almost as if he wanted to confront him for lying, but knew that it wasn’t the right time.   


  
  
“How is your mother?”   
  


  
Honestly, Philip didn’t really know how to answer the question he was just asked.   
  
Alexander and Eliza had shared custody of their children, which escalating into Philip, Angie, and Junior only seeing their mother every other weekend. She wasn’t in any of the pictures on the walls, and he was lucky if he got a response from her once a day.   
  
Philip was understanding, knowing very well that the planning festivities for the new arrival of his little sister was her priority. It was childish of him, but he desperately wanted a piece of the pie that was his mother’s attention too.    
  


 

“Phil, are you alright?”  
  
  
  
He blinked a few times, snapping himself back into reality.  
  
  
  
“Must’ve zoned out, sorry. She’s alright, well at least I assume she is.”  
  
  
  
That sounded troubling to Mr. Madison. He knew how close Philip was to his mother growing up.  
  
  
  
“You mean you don’t know?”  
  
  
  
Philip raised an eyebrow.  
  
  
  
“Know what?”  
  
  
  
“How your mother is-”  
  
  
  
“I don’t see her very often because I live with my dad and John most of the time. I’m sure I’ll see more of her after the divorce is finalized and custody kinks are straightened out.”  
  
  
  
Mr. Madison realized that this was by no means his business, but he decided to push, telling himself that talking about the whole situation would help the troubled teenager sitting in front of him.  
  
  
  
“I must say I’m surprised to hear that. You and your mom seemed so close when you were little. Why did you-”  
  


 

_Because he needed me more._ _   
_   
  
  
Philip shook his head, not wanting to talk about this anymore.   
  
  
  
“Can we just skip to the part where you tell me that your incredibly disappointed and I get detention or something?”   
  
  
  
Mr. Madison cleared his throat.   
  
  
  
“We’ve called your father, but the call went straight to voicemail-”    
  


Philip nodded, knowing very well that his father didn’t pick up calls while he was at work. Mr. Madison should know how ‘non stop’ his father was, after all, his husband is the bane of Alexander’s existence.  
  
  
  
“So did you call my mom?”  
  
  
  
Mr. Madison shook his head.  
  
  
  
“I know that Eliza has enough on her plate right now. The other emergency contact listed was John Laurens, so we called him.”  
  
  
  
Philip felt a rush of guilt knock him out, for John Laurens usually worked the graveyard shift at the hospital, meaning that Philip’s little act in lunch was depriving him of much needed sleep.    
  


 

“I see.”  
  
  
  
“You’ll be suspended for the rest of the week, and we’ll have your sister bring your work home to you.”  
  
  
  
He nodded, accepting the sentence, not knowing how his father would react about the fact that his pride and joy had tarnished his squeaky clean record.  
  
  
  
  
“Alright.”  
  
  
  
“This might’ve blemished your perfect record, but don’t worry, Columbia won’t worry about one little fight, especially if your dad is an alumni.”  
  
  
  
Philip’s eyebrows knit together in concern as he thought that maybe Columbia wouldn’t want another Hamilton as an alumni.  
  
The room went quiet.  
  
Scientific studies show that four seconds is enough time for silence to grow awkward.  
  
Philip Hamilton would vouch for this, as he bit his lip, hoping that John would come faster.  
  
He regretted wishing for this as soon as a displeased John Laurens signed him, Susan, and Frances out of school.  
  
Frances Laurens is new at this sister thing, but she decided that if she faked a fever and got excused from class to avert John’s attention to her and not Philip. Sister of the year right there, folks.  
  
John turned to his daughter, who was pulling a trick from Ferris Bueller’s day off by making a miserable face, clenching at her stomach.  
  
  
  
“Go ahead and wait in the car, I need to teach my son a lesson.”  
  
  
Philip blinked after being referred to as John’s son.   


Frances nodded at her ‘twin’.  
  
  
  
“Good luck.”  
  
  
  
And with that, Frances went and waited in the car.   
  
  
  
  
“Look Mr. Laurens, I’m really sorry that you had to-”  
  
  
  
John raised his hand to silence the adolescent, and sure enough the trick worked and Philip looked down at his boat shoes, which he hated oh so terribly.  
  
  
  
“You know I was in your shoes what seems like forever ago. I promised myself if I ever had a son I’d teach him lessons very differently than how my father did.”  
  
  
  
Philip knew all about John’s homophobic father who cast his son, a young, single father at the time, and his infant daughter out, after finding out about his sexuality. He wasn’t sure who hated him more, Frances or his father.  
  
  
  
  
“I appreciate that you’re not yelling at me. If my mother were here I’d never hear the end of this.”  
  
  
  
  
John laughed a little at that, thankful for Philip Hamilton’s underrated sense of humor before sighing and looking back at the teenager.  
  
  
  
  
“You can’t do stuff like this, Phil.”  
  
  
  
  
“I know but-“  
  
  
  
  
“No, you’re the kid and I’m the parent, you listen while I speak. You’re not a violent kid, you can’t just act out like this.”  
  
  
  
Philip turned away from John, not wanting to see the disappointment in the man’s eyes.  


 

“You have to promise me that you won’t let Eacker get the best of you again. No more fighting, alright?”  
  
  
  
Philip nodded, knowing very well that he was a lover, not a fighter.  
  
  
  
“I promise.”  
  
  
  
The rest of the day was a blur, as nothing important really happened. Philip could be found at the piano stool, playing a piece that he was writing for Theodosia’s birthday.  
  
Dinner, homework, shower, bed.   
  
Nothing was out of the ordinary, that was, until he stated getting threatening text messages from an unknown number.   
  
That scared him a little, but he didn’t think anything of it.   


**NOVEMBER 20th**

 

If Philip had to pinpoint the moment when the Hamilton-Laurens penthouse erupted into chaos, he would say it was when Susan Reynolds called Angie in the early hours of the morning with the news that they were all waiting for.   
  
His sister was frantically straightening her already straight hair, insisting that she needed to make a good impression on their new little sister.   
  
Philip had been through this rodeo so many times that he was just throwing his hair up in a messy bun and calling in a day.   
  
Junior was digging through their shared closet in search of his other sneaker, and their father didn’t seem as excited as he usually felt, and Philip wondered if he was the only one who knew why.   
  
His new little sister Elizabeth would never grow up with both her father and her mother living in the same time, and she’d never know of the karaoke songs her parents sang in the car.   
  
Philip couldn’t help but wonder if his mother would teach her piano, like she had taught the rest of his siblings.   
  
  
  
“Bro, look at your shoes.”   
  
  
  
He looked down, realizing that he was wearing two different sneakers, having been so distracted that he was about two walk out of the penthouse with mismatched shoes. 

  
Thank God for Frances’s instincts to make sure that her ‘twin’ wasn’t a fashion disaster.    


The teenager’s mind wandered over to the thought of his girlfriend, and how she’d swoon over the new baby, after all, Theodosia seemed more excited about the new addition to his family than Philip.   
  
It wasn’t that Philip wasn’t excited per say, rather he just felt numb and distracted, going through the motions of what was supposed to be a joyous occasion.   
  
The small party of six loaded themselves into John’s car, and they were off to the hospital, which was only fifteen minutes away.   
  
  
  
“Can I-“   
  
  
  
“No.”   
  
  
  
Junior huffed in frustration.  
  
  
  
”I didn’t even get to finish my sentence, Angelica.”   
  
  
  
Angie sighed, running her brush, which she insisted on bringing in the car, through her hair.   
  
  
  
“Junior, it is currently two thirty in the morning, I doubt that any of us want to hear “Old Town Road” right now.”   
  
  
  
Philip laughed a little at that.  
  
At least his siblings still fought like cats and dogs.   
  
At least there was some normality in his life still.   


The group hurriedly walked into the waiting room of the hospital, where Susan Reynolds sat, along with the company of Philip’s younger siblings who he had missed terribly and likewise.   
  
  
  
“Phil!”   
  
  
  
William had toddled over to his older brother, whose first word happened to be ‘Philip’.   
  
The teenager instantly put on a fake smile, that way his little siblings would not know that their rock of an older brother was crumbling.   
  
  
  
“Who’s this now?”   
  
  
  
William giggled reaching his arms up, indicating that he wanted to be held.   
  
  
  
“You know me! Up! Up!”   
  
  
  
Philip scooped up the toddler in his arms, pressing a kiss to the top of the younger boy’s head.   
  
He had always been the closest with William, and wherever the younger bother cried, the older brother would be there in a heartbeat.   
  
  
  
“You’re getting heavy, kid.”  


 

It was almost terrifying for Philip, Angie, and Junior to see how big their little brothers were getting, as it was almost like they were growing up without them.   
  
John cleared his throat, drawing the children’s attention.   
  
  
  
“Me and your father are going to go see if anything is open at the food court. Whoever wants to come is welcome.”   
  
  
  
Philip couldn’t help but feel bad for John, after all, the man had gone from the status of a fun nonofficial uncle to the ranks of an evil stepmother all within one summer.   
  
His younger brothers were not a fan of their father’s new fiancé and it showed big time.   
  
Angie, Junior, Frances, and James decided to accompany the couple, leaving Philip and Susan to watch over John and William, a simple task, as William was already falling asleep in Philip’s arms.   
  
As soon as everyone was gone, and the younger children were occupied by playing on Philip’s phone, Susan turned to Philip.   


 

“How are you so good with kids?”   
  
  
  
Philip was a natural with his little siblings, it was just a part of his personality to take care of them.   
  
  
  
“Years of practice, I guess.”   
  
  
  
There was an awkward silence for a bit, as neither one of them knew what to say next.   
  
Susan tugged on her braid a little, not meeting his eyes.   
  
  
  
“They hate me.”   
  
  
  
Philip looked over at her, shaking his head.   
  
  
  
“I wouldn’t take it personally if I were you. Boys their age just hate girls in general, it’s a boy thing, something about cooties. They’ll grow out of it don’t worry.”   
  
  
  
She supposed that Philip was right, after all, he knows these kids much better than she does.   


Susan was just the daughter of their mother’s new girlfriend, and she bared partial responsibility for what happened that summer.   
  
The Reynolds Pamphlet was the worst birthday present in the history of everything.   
  
Happy sixteenth birthday Susan, here’s a ruined reputation and a tabloid that will follow you around for the rest of your life.   
  
  
  
“I didn’t know you and Theodosia were together.”   
  
  
  
Philip’s eyes widened.   
  
In the chaos that was today he had totally forgotten that he and Theo had made their relationship public.   
  
Susan laughed at the worried look on his face.   
  
  
  
“Don’t worry, Hamilton. I won’t tell your dad. My mother didn’t raise a snitch after all.”   
  
  
  
Philip sighed in relief, thankful that Susan Reynolds didn’t have loose lips.   
  
  
  
“To tell you the truth, I’m not all that surprised. A lot of people speculated that you’d fall for eachother eventually. I never would’ve guessed that about Frances and Georges, though.”   


 

“I’m sorry, what?”   
  
  
  
“Frances and Georges, they’ve apparently been together since the Fourth of July. Oh God did you not know?”   
  


 

No, Philip did not know that he had been third wheeling since the summer, and his friends hadn’t even told them. 

If he thought about it, it would make sense why they wouldn’t tell him. 

After all, both Georges and Frances know that Philip doesn’t take to change easily. 

 

“Gee, I really am clueless, aren’t I?” 

 

Susan laughed at that and at that moment, she knew that she approved of him and her best friend dating. 

Theodosia Burr Jr. and Susan Reynolds have always been a dynamic duo, similair to how Georges and Philip are. They’re practically sisters, as neither of them have any other siblings.

 

”It’s alright. I don’t think many people know, the two of them are pretty sneaky. I only know because I know everything about everyone.” 

 

Philip rolled his eyes playfully. 

 

“That’s why your hair is so big, it’s full of secrets.” 

”You’re such a dork, Philip.” 

 

And at that momment, Susan was no longer the ‘anti Frances’ to Philip. 

She was just Susan, and their unwritten, unspoken law about never acknowledging eachother was broken. 

A nurse with graying hair and bags under her eyes made her way over to the teenagers, holding a clipboard.

 

”Are you two Eliza Schuyler’s children?” 

 

It certainly was strange for Philip to hear his mother not being referred to as ‘Eliza Hamilton’, but he figured that he might as well get used to hearing it from now on. 

Susan shifted uncomfortably in her waiting room chair, a seat that was uncomfortable to begin with. 

”I-“

 

Philip nodded. 

 

“Yeah, we are. Is she okay, is the baby okay?” 

 

The nurse looked back at her clipboard. 

 

“Both the baby and the mother are perfectly healthy. The baby’s name is Elizabeth 

Rachel Schuyler and she is seven pounds, three ounces.” 

 

Philip smiled to himself knowing that his new little sister was named after his mother and his father’s mother, who none of them ever had the privilege of meeting. Eliza didn’t need to do that, but she did.

He saw that as a peace offering. 

 

_Maybe we’ll be alright after all._

 

“Thank you.” 

 

Philip couldn’t wait to see his mother and to hold his new baby sister. There was something about holding a new baby that could always calm him down. 

Maybe it was because he grew up always having a little one clinging to him on his hip, or maybe it was becasue Philip is just  natural with kids. 

Whatever it was, Philip felt like himself again, for the first time in weeks. 

The nurse gave the pair of teenagers a small smile, before returning to her post. 

Susan knew that what Philip said shouldn’t matter that much to her but it did. 

None of his siblings had ever acknowledged her as family, and all she had ever wanted was their approval. 

A loving family is something Susan has dreamed her whole life about. 

No deadbeat dads or apartments with no electricity, just a family with siblings and a safe place for herself and her mother. 

She found that in the Hamiltons, and even Frances and her father had seemed to come to a liking of her and her mother. 

And with that final confirmation from Philip that at least one person sees her as family, Susan got her American dream.   


	4. An Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just read the thingie

**Hey everyone so I’ve decided that I’m going to rewrite this whole story and change some things because of a recent burst of energy. Thanks for reading this- I promise it will get better the best has yet to come**

**It’ll probably be a new work I’ll let everyone know when it’s out okay toodles**

**~ E**

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading mates. I don’t really have a set schedule for writing yet, and I’m working on a few other works so stay tuned for that.
> 
> Have a wonderful day, night, or whenever you’re reading this. 
> 
> Sincerely, 
> 
> E


End file.
